September 2009

Here’s what’s been hitting the headlines over recent weeks:

FEATURE ARTICLE

HMRC Consults on New Legislation: HMRC has begun a process of consultation on new rules that would see businesses having to deduct National Insurance contributions and PAYE on payments made to self-employed workers. MORE...

NEWS ROUND-UP

ODA Offers £4 Billion Boost for Smaller Firms: The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has said that over the next 18 months it will be releasing £4 billion-worth of construction work, providing a welcome boost for small and medium-sized businesses across the UK. MORE...

IR35 Here to Stay: Contractors have been warned that after a lull of 18 months it is likely that HMRC will again have IR35 compliance high on its agenda. MORE...

HMRC Wins Employment Status Case: HMRC has recently won an employment-status case against a subcontractor working in the construction industry. MORE...

OFT Fines Revealed: Construction companies who have been subject to cover pricing and bid rigging investigations by the Office of Fair Trading have been told what fines they will have to pay. MORE...

South Bank Tower Decision Upheld: The decision by the government to grant planning permission for the Doon Street Scheme has been upheld by a high court judge. MORE...

Public Sector Criticised for Favouring Big Firms: The public sector has been criticised for having an obsessive ‘tick-box’ attitude towards the allocation of new work. MORE...

HMRC Arrest Construction Bosses: An HMRC investigation has led to the arrest of 21 people in dawn raids. MORE...

Public Sector Work Sustains Construction Industry: After sharp falls in the number of new projects in the construction industry in the first half of the year, the flow has now stabilised thanks to a rise in work on utilities and government-funded projects. MORE...

New Supervisor Standard for Health and Safety: The UK Contractors Group (UKCG), has announced a new supervisor training standard which will improve health and safety performance. MORE...

HMRC to Force Businesses to Identify Third Parties: A national accountancy group has claimed that HMRC is seeking to increase its powers, so that it can force companies to hand over information on clients and customers in order to be able to target them for investigations. MORE...

HMRC New Penalty Regime: The 2009 Finance Act gave HMRC the right to impose fines on companies that do not make their quarterly or monthly payments of PAYE in full and on time. MORE...

Crossrail News: Transport for London (Tfl) has arranged a £1 billion loan with the European Investment Bank which will finance 40 percent of its contribution to Crossrail. MORE...

Small Firms Concerned About Late Payments: Small firms facing increasing problems with cash flow due to a rise in late payments. MORE...

HMRC and Companies House Improved Filing: Companies House and HMRC have announced that they have developed a common approach to the online filing of company accounts. MORE...

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